Pirlo named AC Milan keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who is being touted as Buffon's eventual Italy replacement, among a list of Italy's top young talents that he thinks can help the country challenge for future honours.

The playmaker said: "It is a quality generation coming through and these things do happen in football.

"Apart from Marco Verratti, who has already made his mark at club level, I really like Domenico Berardi of Sassuolo, Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Juventus defender Daniele Rugani, Bologna's Federico Di Francesco and the Fiorentina pair Federico Chiesa and Federico Bernardeschi."